Bite Me | Volturi Kings

Chapter 7

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In feigned ignorance Shoomah smiled blithely at Garrett, "Yes indeed. Do you want to hear about the absolutely amazing clock I have in my council room?" 

For the first time Benjamin piped up from where he sat, "I think you know the one that he's speaking of Shoomah." 

Such familiarity was only born of the millennia that they had spent coexisting on this planet. Although, Benjamin was older than Shoomah (not physically) when you reached the thousands of years they all started to blend together and you would take anyone left from your time as a friend. However, some stood to challenge that idea. 

Mirenyou reached to clasp Shoomah's hand in his, ceasing his mindless actions. All that this did was push the intrigue to new heights. What was so drastic about this story of battle that meant the Queen was openly given comfort from her advisor?

With a lead heart and a deep sigh Shoomah started what was bound to be a long tale, "I have been the ruler of Ashaf for so long that sometimes people forget that there were others before me. Quite a few if I remember correctly, though I try not to." 

It would not be an exaggeration to say that they were all clinging to the edges of their seats, Romanian coven included. The country of Ashaf was so closed off, for the most part, that this small bit of information was completely new and revolutionary to almost all present. Even to the Egyptian coven who had been acquainted with the Queen, Dachow and Fachow for the longest. 

"Three thousand years ago, by your calendar, everything was so different. We had a dictator, a tyrant I suppose it what you would call someone like him. He descended from a long line of them. No one quite knows how they got into power but many underhanded dealings and pure violence would be my guess. Days were nightmares and the nights unsurvivable." 

Here Dachow spoke up to aid in the painful story telling, "Every day brought a new death or a new law that was brought out. Heads of supposed criminals were displayed proudly with their eyes gouged out on the palace walls." 

"You could be arrested at any moment and the guards were more than happy to provide. They were given far too much liberty by the tyrant, as long as the criminal arrived at the palace still breathing he gave no thought to what happened in between. It's hard to imagine it now but we lived in utter fear." Fachow said, unwilling to look away from the fire as she spoke. 

With what little help he could provide, Mirenyou kept his hand in Shoomah's and sent the trio sympathetic looks. He wasn't there. It wasn't his story to tell. So he sat quietly and listened with a forgiving ear. 

"I myself was arrested thrice in my life time." Shoomah chuckled mirthlessly, "All for perfectly ridiculous reasons but I suppose I was more fortunate as I am still here to tell this tale. The truth is I was let off on account of my "pretty face"." Her pain leaked through into venom in her eyes, rendering her unable to continue as the memories haunted her. 

Above everyone else, Rosalie understood the implications and if she could've cried she would've. For Shoomah, for all of them to be brave enough to share this around a campfire, she couldn't imagine the strength they must've possessed. In her mind she made a mental note to seek friendship from the Queen and her court, perhaps there she could heal, perhaps they all could. Seeing them so strong gave her hope of her recovery. 

"We all experienced something similar, every single one of us alive back then. Community slavery was my vice whenever I was arrested." 

"Our father," Here Fachow swallowed, "We lost him during this time. He was a craftsman but one day made something that displeased the tyrant. Three months, he lasted through three months of torture before we never saw his body again. Our mother died of a blow to the head when she tried in vain to rescue him. We lost everything to that kiruʃɤ (bastard)."